Closet Space
by phoenix9648
Summary: Set during 2x23 Eye of the Beholder, improvised cut scene. Toby overhears more than he expects when he passes Wren and Spencer talking in the hospital room. Spoby one-shot.


Hello my lovelies! This is my first published PLL fanfiction, so let me know what you think (:

I wrote it as a cut scene from 2x23 Eye of the Beholder when Toby returns to Rosewood and everyone heads to the hospital after the fire. Just something I WISHED had happened, although I loved the Spoby kiss at the end of the season.. it was worth the wait (: But anyways, I do mention sleeping pills in this. In the next episode, Spencer says to Emily she's on two different kind of medications, one is painkillers, as Ali said, and the other is not specified. I assumed it was from the fire, so probably the antibiotics Wren mentions at the hospital, but regardless, prescribed painkillers for a few shards of glass in her hand? Seems pretty heavy duty. So that's my twist on that fact, in case you're wondering what in the heck I'm going on about.

ANYWAYS Spencer and Toby breaking up after his accident and him being so cold had killed me, especially seeing Spencer's reaction. I don't think she reallyyy smiled the entire time they were apart, except with Wren, especially when she's drunk haha. I am completely Team Spoby, but I do have a soft spot in my heart for Wren Kingston. BUT I love Toby much more. The whole show is absolutely amazingly written, acted, edited and even soundtracked, so I hope I give it the teeniest bit of justice with this one-shot.

I mostly have Troigan's written right now, but I don't know if anyone would be interested in those since I haven't come across any on here... I don't think I'm alone in believing the two actors chemistry is incredible and would only be more exciting if it existed off-screen too? :) I think the pair of them is just adorable, even just as best friends. Keegan's basically the cutest thing alive in interviews and videos and stuff and Troian just seems so interesting and awesome. I know Troian is happily with Patrick, but I'm allowed to dream, right?

Anyways I'm rambling, as always, ENJOY!

**I DO NOT OWN PRETTY LITTLE LIARS!**

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Spencer seemed dejected, sullen, and Wren had a feeling it wasn't as a response to the fire. She was replying to small talk, but her words were quiet and emotionless, like they were when he had driven her home after her break-up. She didn't have the tears in her eyes this time, but he could see the glimpse of them at the corners, as if they were always waiting to break free. It was so different than the strong Spencer he had always known. He may not have known her for long, but he felt like he understood that side of her at the very least. She was a Hastings and Hastings never showed weakness.

"How's Melissa?" Wren asked, hoping it would elicit even the smallest of reactions from her. Perhaps an eye-roll or an annoyed scoff. He knew she loved her sister at the end of the day, but they had always butted heads.

"She's… in Philadelphia." Spencer said in her new quiet manner, offering the smallest of half-smiles.

"I see the carpenter is back." Wren finally brought up, nervous for her reaction.

What they were both unaware of is that Toby was near the door, having been passing on his way back from speaking to Jenna's doctor. She was already awake but he knew he was fragile right now so he wanted to hurry back. But hearing that British accent in conversation with his ex-girlfriend made him stop.

Toby too had noticed how different Spencer had been since his return. Even when he drove up on his motorcycle, not even having returned home yet, desperate to get just a glimpse of her at the father-daughter dance, her face was so troubled he stopped. But when she stepped forward, excitement on her face, he knew he couldn't stay. He had to stick with what he was doing. It was the only way.

When he got out of the cab earlier in the day with Jenna, the first time he had locked eyes with her, the vacant look on her face nearly killed him. All he wanted to do was run up to her and shake her until she was back to being Spencer Hastings. He simply aimed a glare her way before coldly continuing to walk away. He snuck a look at her as she slowly descended back to her seat, looking as though she had just lost the will to live.

Spencer's voice brought him out of his thoughts.

"_And_ his sister." she said pointedly.

Toby couldn't believe that she actually thought he and Jenna were together. Just because he was guiding her around after her eye surgery did not mean they were tangled together under the sheets at home. He knew how much his past relationship with Jenna had bothered her, but she was delusional if she thought he hadn't been more bothered while it was going on. Hell, he had a tattoo on his hip to prove it.

At least she repeated his earlier sentiment and said sister. When she tried to talk to him, he did his best to explain without fully explaining that he did not nor would ever see his step-sister like that again.

Wren continued talking and Toby wanted to move away in disgust when he heard them flirting with each other. Toby knew what Spencer had told him had been a lie, or rather what Emily had told him, but he knew there was some truth to it. They had a thing in the past at the very least and the chemistry between them was obvious. There were still feelings there that weren't resolved yet.

Toby was surprised to hear Wren say something rather gentlemanly. "As much as I hate to do this, I have to ask you a direct question." He paused, continuing when he saw no objection. "Do you want to agree that certain things between us never happened?"

Spencer looked surprised, and seemed bothered by the fact that he thought she would want to agree to that. "_No_. I wouldn't take back anything."

Toby felt sick. Did something happen while he was away? It sounded as though they were talking about something _very_ specific and if that was true, Toby wasn't sure what he would do. He already wanted to clock Wren for even looking at Spencer the way he did, but now that feeling was building. Toby felt his fist clench by his side.

Spencer continued with a sigh. "I appreciate you not taking advantage of inebriated me the other night though. I never did thank you for that. Most of that night is pretty foggy, but I do remember you staying a gentleman and it means a lot to me. I'm sorry I basically threw myself at you." she added somewhat amusedly, remembering her drunken self.

He chuckled. "Your beauty is hard to resist on a given day, much less when you're giving me permission to prove my appreciation. But I knew it was what was right. Despite our past, I know nothing is going to happen between us, at least not now."

Spencer nodded sadly, looking apologetic.

Wren continued. "I'm glad to hear that you don't want to take it all back, but I would understand if you did. I know Toby means a lot to you despite you not being together right now."

Spencer flinched at the last sentence. "Please, don't say his name."

Wren's eyes softened, looking concerned. "Spencer."

Toby heard his least favorite sound in the world next: Spencer starting to cry.

Wren moved to comfort her but she moved backwards, as if afraid to be touched.

"I'm-I'm fine. It's just…" she sucked in more air, trying to control her tears. She had lost count to how many times she had cried in front of Wren. "I thought when he came back to Rosewood things might get better. But seeing him in this town, especially when I'm not expecting it, hurts more than I can say. I can't stand seeing him but not being able to tell him everything. That's why I had to push him away in the first place. But after the lies I told him to get him to leave, he's never going to forgive me. I hate how much I forced him to hate me. I deserve it, but still."

She was starting to sob now and Wren wrapped his arms around her. She buried her tears in his shoulder.

"What is so bad that you can't tell him?" Wren asked.

She sighed. "It's… complicated." she said desolately.

He nodded, knowing it wasn't really his business regardless, but wishing he could help. "Spencer, feelings like that don't just go away. I'm sure he's just hurting. He'll come round." he told her seriously, rubbing her shoulder affectionately, looking troubled at how upset she was.

She shook her head. "He's had a guard up a long time. He finally brings it down for me and I do this to him. He'll never forgive me. I've screwed him up so badly. It's just so stupid."

"Maybe you should try talking to him again." Wren suggested, separating them now as Spencer pulled back.

She shook her head again. "You saw how I reacted to just his name. My friends think I need to be admitted, as do my parents. The antibiotics you give me will just add to my new medications list." she added teasingly, trying to change the mood to more light-hearted.

Toby didn't understand, nor did Wren. Both men grew concerned.

"What medications are you on now?"

"They might not be on my chart yet, but I'm on sleeping pills. I haven't been able to get to sleep on my own since Toby's accident."

Her voice caught on the last two words and she breathed in deeply.

"I just keep replaying everything in my mind. Imagining things ending worse. I wake up screaming sometimes…"

"Spencer. You ever need anything…"

She smiled. "I know. I'll be fine. I've been through-"

She paused.

Had she been through worse? Losing Alison had been difficult, obviously, but losing Toby almost felt worse. She felt ashamed for feeling that way since Alison was _murdered_ and had been her best friend for so long, but she felt like Toby had died. He wasn't the same guy she was in love with anymore. He hated her. She had to let the life she dreamed up for them die too and that hurt more than words can express. Toby had become her safe haven, her solid rock, the one thing in her life that didn't have to change. She had her best friends, but losing Alison proved how fragile that really was on some level, and so she clung to dependable Toby like a life raft. But now she had nothing. When the going got tough, she just had to keep her head held high by herself.

"I'll be fine." she repeated, skipping finishing that sentence. She tried to smile but it came out as more of a grimace.

"Your complicated life just continues to get complicated." Wren appeased, smiling slightly at her and causing her to giggle.

"Tell me about it. I'd swap places with just about anyone these days."

They simply smiled at each other for a moment.

Spencer corrected her throat, fixing her somewhat disheveled appearance. "I should go. Thanks for listening, again. My friends are just getting bored of my sob story so I stopped mentioning it all together.."

"They're your friends, Spencer, I'm sure that's not true. But you know where to find me. My couch is always open to you too of course."

She smiled at that and leaned up to kiss him on the cheek. "Bye Wren." she murmured.

Toby felt his stomach tumble with nausea, hating seeing her so close to another guy but especially _that_ guy. The one that could potentially steal Spencer away, especially with their current predicament. The guy who had Spencer before Toby did, even if it was unofficially.

Toby finally realized that she was leaving the room and would soon see him and know he had been eavesdropping. He quickly made his way back to Jenna's room finally but his step-sister ordered him out to find the four girls shortly after.

Of course, as fate would have it, Spencer was the first he saw of the group, standing alone watching her mom and Jason talk behind the window with a small smile on her face. Before he could even contemplate why she would be excited about that, he had approached her.

After hearing her talk to Wren, he wanted to give her space. It was hard on the both of them, being apart, but she had to believe he didn't care. It was the only way to keep them both safe. But at the same time, he desperately needed to be near her, know that she was okay.

"Spencer." he spoke quietly but surely, and she turned to look at him. As soon as her chocolate eyes met his emotionless blue, they welled up in pained tears again. He had to break their gaze. It hurt too much to see her cry, knowing it was his fault even if it was unintentional. "Jenna would like to speak to you. All of you."

She nodded, beginning to walk away from him, going to collect the other girls he assumed. "Okay." she replied so softly he could have missed it.

On reflex, he reached out to touch her wrist. She looked back with haunting eyes.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice softening slightly without him meaning to.

She shrugged, looking anywhere but at his face. "I think so." she whispered, but her tears started spilling over and she walked away purposely so he didn't have to see how much he was affecting her.

It broke his heart. He watched her go, but then leaned against the wall, hitting his head back in frustration, wishing he could tell her what he knew.

"Toby? What's wrong?" a familiar, concerned voice asked.

He straightened up and saw Emily coming through the double doors, slipping her phone back in her purse.

He knew he should keep it to himself. But something about Emily had always made him spill his guts; it was like she could see right through him so he might as well just tell her the truth from the get-go.

He sighed. "Spencer."

"What about her?" Emily asked slowly, unsure if something had happened specifically or if he just meant in general.

Toby looked at the tiles in shame. "No matter what I do, I just can't seem to do anything right when it comes to her. She messes with my system." he mumbled, almost irritably, wishing she knew how much seeing her was rattling his entire existence.

Emily squeezed his arm sympathetically. "There's no manual on how to handle this. Don't be so hard on yourself."

Toby didn't meet her eyes. "I'm slowly killing her and I know it. I mean, sleeping pills? Really?" he muttered, not meaning to let it slip.

"What are you talking about? What sleeping pills?" Emily asked, clearly confused.

Toby looked up in shock. Spencer hadn't told her friends? He knew if Emily didn't know, neither did the others. "It doesn't matter. Anyways, Jenna wants to see all of you." he said, reverting back to his cold, guarded façade.

Emily noted this and realized he had dropped the subject, having not intended to let her or anyone else see him vulnerable.

"Alright, I'll grab the other girls. Take care of yourself, Toby."

"You too, Em." he murmured back as she strode down the hall to find the others.

Toby resumed leaning against the wall in defeat. That is until he saw Spencer walking up the hallway again. She flinched when she saw him, but quickly averted her eyes and sped up.

He couldn't take it anymore. Seeing the sign on the door, he grasped her wrist firmly before she could disappear, causing her to gasp in fear, and pulled her inside the janitor's closet.

She stumbled into him blindly, him not thinking to locate the light before locking the door behind them. There was barely any foot space regardless so they were forced to be clustered close. Not that he minded.

His hands reached out and found her waist, pulling her against him as his lips descended on hers. Another soft gasp escaped her lips but it turned to a low moan as she enthusiastically returned the gesture.

They angry-kissed for a while, clutching at one another like they were about to fall to their death, furious with the other for ever letting them believe they weren't loved by the one they were currently entangled with. She was clawing through his hair, nearly uprooting most of it, pushing her tongue inside his mouth. He stumbled against her, pushing her against the wall as he wrapped his arms tighter around her.

They broke apart after a couple minutes, gasping dizzily for air. Toby was pretty sure he was going to have bruises from their passionate make-out session; but no matter what happened, it was worth it.

He leaned to her ear, trying still to catch his breath. "I love you, with every cell in my body. I'm sorry I have to act this way, but I'm trying to keep you safe. I_ know_." he added pointedly, and now that his eyes had adjusted, he could see her eyes widen in shock. "I can't act like we're okay, because I'll lose control around you, but shutting you out is killing me. Please be patient. When this mess is over, I'll be right there for you."

She nodded as her tears started spilling. With pained eyes, he wiped them away like he had been longing to since he understood why she was crying.

She kissed him again. "I love you so much. I'm sorry for everything."

He shushed her and held her close, stroking through her hair as she sniffled into his shoulder.

"I know this was risky, but I just couldn't stand you hurting like this. Stay strong, Spence." he told her, pressing a kiss to her forehead, her nose, both cheeks and then placing a longer one on her lips.

She leaned up, greedy for more, but any kiss would be too short at this point. They broke apart and Spencer wiped her face quickly to rid it of all the excess water.

"You were always going to be my first call when this mess was over. Glad to know you'll answer." Spencer said wistfully, smiling brightly, and he saw the life return to her eyes already.

He smiled in return before slipping out of the closet and diving right back into his temporary reality.


End file.
